James Murdoch says Tom Crone and Colin Myler 'misled' Commons committee
News International chairman James Murdoch is being questioned for a second time by MPs about phone hacking at the News of the World today.
He today denied that he misled the House of Commons Committee but that both his former employees were the ones who did not tell the whole truth when they gave evidence earlier in the year.
Murdoch's testimony to the culture, media and sport committee in July is being disputed by the NoW's former legal manager Tom Crone.
And the NoW's ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck has claimed the paper did not act on information he gave it about hacking.
Both James and Rupert Murdoch denied knowing the full extent of the allegations until evidence in civil cases was requested in late 2010.
James Murdoch told the committee he had not been "aware" of an email suggesting hacking went beyond a single "rogue" reporter, Clive Goodman, who was jailed for four months in 2007.
The email, marked "for Neville" and assumed to refer to Thurlbeck, contained transcripts of private voicemail messages revealing that Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor's phone had been hacked.
However, two former NoW executives - former editor Colin Myler and former legal manager Tom Crone - later issued a statement claiming they "did inform him" of the email in 2008 when he agreed to settle the Gordon Taylor case.
Feisty MP Tom Watson stunned Mr Murdoch when he referred to him as a maffia boss. Murdoch said he found the line of questioning offensive.
You can watch it live at the BBC or follow The Guardian's live coverage.
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DIVISION100
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With the same issues coming up over many years...
The question debated is: Is James totally incompetent (i.e not paying attention)? Is he wilfully deceitful (i.e. a liar)? Or is he both?
The question for the public is: When will the excuses get tired? When will justice prevail? Or will it?
- 7 months ago
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DIVISION100
